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USA First Trip of Retirement

februari - mars 2025
  • Stuart Edser
En 21-dags äventyr från Stuart Läs mer
  • Stuart Edser

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement

    Preparation and Promises

    16 februari, Australien ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    I retired from all clinical work on 17 December 2024. This new year starts a brand new and exciting phase in my life. I have lots of things planned and some already begun. This little trip to the US was planned before DT became President, but we're going anyway. This time, just two wonderful cities and surrounding areas: San Francisco and Seattle. We're off to Sydney today and will fly out tomorrow 17 February. I'm feeling good and looking forward to spending this time with Chris doing our occasional overseas thing. A few little pics to remind me where home is 😊Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    1

    Getting There is Half the Problem

    17 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌙 11 °C

    We Australians know a thing or two about travel. That's because of where we live. It was Paul Keating who once described Darwin as the arse end of the world (compared to other world cities) and most Australians and lots of Darwinians took it on the chin, broadly agreeing with his description.

    However, it strikes me that maybe Paul had it only half right, that in fact Australia itself is at the arse end of the world and for us to get anywhere, we have to travel a hell of a long way. In deed the northern hemisphere is where a lot of the action happens. It's not the only place of course, but it would it be a brave tourist who decried Europe, the UK, Canada, and the US as boring, nothing much happening and nothing to see here. Trouble is, they're such a bloody long way from we live.

    This means that a trip to Europe from Australia is a good twenty hours away, the UK, twenty two hours and to the US, it's a fourteen hour flight. Now I write this little piece sitting in a relatively pokey but comfortable apartment in San Francisco having just completed the said fourteen hours of economy class to get here.

    Now it was an uneventful flight, I must say. That's how you want them. A passenger jet this very day landed in Toronto and flipped over onto its back on the runway with all souls, crew and passengers escaping with their lives. No, our flight had a head wind which made us late by half an hour. I can live with that.

    But by God, I am buggered. I did not sleep at all, which means I have been awake for twenty four hours. Seating was as comfortable that cattle class can be, an aisle seat and a middle seat. Chris and I got up four or fives times to go to the toilet for non-existent wees just to get up, stretch and go for a wander to move our bodies. The first eight hours was okay, but the second six hours was a challenge.

    Of course, we had our Cabot neck pillows, novels to read, downloaded music to listen to and movies and television to watch. But by hour eleven, I just wanted to rip every piece of clothing I was wearing off and set fire to my shoes.

    However, I did watch two movies. Juror No 2 with Nicholas Hault, and Caddo Lake with Dylan O'Brien. Both three stars, the first, a modern take on Twelve Angry Men, this time with a twist that the original did not possess, and the second, a mystery thriller with a touch of the supernatural about it. Both fun, and some great acting in both. I also watched two episodes of Veep. I tried to read my new novel but could not start it due to the aches and pains in my body. The concentration was just not there.

    Anyway, we made it in one piece and are happy to be here though sore, stiff and extremely tired. We've been out for a beer and had a walk marvelling once again at SF's architecture. And of course, the WAYMOs, San Francisco's driverless cars. They are ubiquitous now. Who knows, we might try one.

    We won't push too hard tomorrow.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    11

    Coffee and Sea Lions

    18 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    Our day today was a relatively relaxed affair. We made our way down to the Embarcadero, where ferries and boats all depart San Francisco, and headed into the ferry terminal which is full of artisanal food and coffee and chocolate, and artisinal art.

    A fun jaunt through one of the latter saw us buy a few little arty trinkets, then head into a bookshop on the Bay where, against type, we did not purchase anything at all. This was followed by a decent coffee and a giant sugary scroll, far too big for me, but I'm on holidays and not thinking straight, so I ate it all.

    From there we walked down to Pier 39 to see the sea lions which were plenteous and fun to watch. Lolling about, swimming and eating, they have a glorious but noisy life.

    A walk through the theme park where I bought a hideous coffee and then out onto the street where we headed for the ferris wheel, the perhaps too generously named, SkyStar. Chris and I had a cabin to ourselves and had three and a half revolutions or thereabouts. It was whisper qiuet and ice-skatingly smooth, so a very comfortable and enjoyable ride we had while gaping at the extraordianry view of the city that such heights offer. My hitherto acrophobia thing didn't even make its presence felt.

    A lovely day was topped off by a microwave meal and an episode of Miss Fisher's Mysteries (nice to hear an Australian accent again) and an episode of Hope Street, a police procedural set in a little town in Northern Ireland. It felt a little like Doc Martin, only police. A lovely day.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    1
    11121

    Giant Redwoods

    19 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    Today was a special day. It was the first of a number of planned and pre-paid events that we had organised. Today's was a bus trip to the Muir Woods National Monument followed by a drop off in Suasalito, lunch and a ferry back to SF.

    Our bus driver and tour operator, George, was a big man. He looked and sounded like Topol of Fiddler on the Roof fame. I thought at one point George was going to bust out 'Tradition' over the bus PA.

    He had a deep resonant warm voice and was as we describe people like this, a character. He had a lovely sense of humour which he used liberally in his commentary, he loved the performance of the whole thing (plenty of rhetorical questions which he would then answer and repetitons of words already spoken), and was genuinely extremely well-informed of the city, the journey throughout and the woods. George made me laugh and was absolutely worth the tip we gave him at the end.

    Muir Woods is the home of the giant redwoods. There is a beautifully laid out looped path that you can take either side of a running stream that has four distanced bridges across it. You can terminate your trip and turn around and return at any of the bridges, this giving ease of the experience to seasoned and not so seasoned walkers.

    It was raining today. We got a little wet on our way to the pick up point before George picked us up in SF. So, we bought identical umbrellas; yes, that's what she gave us, and once again Stu and Chris looked like the Bobsey twins. By the time we reached the forest, it was still raining lightly, not bucketing down, but lightly enough to get quite wet if you stayed out in it for five minutes. And we were going to be out in it for around an hour, so our matching umbrellas were a godsend.

    The water had soaked everything so there was a wet shiny look to the woods. The sequoias were astonishing. My camera was unable to fit an entire tree in without standing way back and the picture missing the grandeur. No matter, I snapped away at various vistas of these beautful giants, bottom halves, top halves, middle bits. They felt like gentle giants to me. There was a softness about them, but a strength nonetheless.

    So many views, so many pics, not enough space for it all here. But looking at something so old, centuries in fact, and so large, and so alive was cause for reflection. I suspect most thinking people on our tour experienced the same thing. Majesty without pomposity. Grandeur without narcissism. Maybe even something of the numenous.

    Chris and I have never seen a gift shop on a tour that we didn't love, so in we went and bought a few little odds and ends.

    George took us back to Sausolito where we dined in a restuarant called The Trident built out over the water, taking a panoramic view of SF city and drinking Mexican beer. And even a lovely sea lion swimming up close to our window for us to say hello. A relaxing trip back over the Bay in the ferry on the top deck saw us weary and ready to get an Uber to the grocery store near our digs and then home to relax.

    Another lovely day, I think the best so far. I will never forget seeing those redwoods.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    11211

    A Day at the Castro

    20 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    We had always intended to come back to the Castro. It feels like coming home if you're a LGBTQ person. You can come from anywhere, and if you're gay, as Chris and I are, you feel like the Castro is a welcoming and safe place. There are plenty of gay people around. You're not the only one. And, coming from Newcastle as we do, that feels very different but very nice.

    We had pre-booked a tour of the GLBT Historical Society musem. 11am, wear a mask. We were there at a minute to 11am, and having donned our gay apparel, our masks, we were duly let in and very warmly welcomed by an older gentleman who processed our tickets and gave us the rundown of the museum.

    The space isn't large, but it has a wonderful collection, not all of it on display, that we could just saunter around and take our time.

    I was particularly taken with the obvious courage of Jose Sarria who not only performed drag shows based on operas, but who was also the very first openly gay individual to run for public office in the US, albeit unsuccessfully, in 1961. Such a homophobic culture. So brave. As a young man, he was a serviceman, a strikingly handsome one too I might add, then settled in SF and started his shows. Much of the museum is his collection bequeathed to them.

    There was a segment of the original pride flag in front of which Chris and I proudly posed for a pic. The flag originated in 1978 and was designed by Gilbert Baker who said, "This was our new revolution: a tribal, individualistic, and collective vision. It deserved a new symbol". Baker desgined the flag with colour as its main feature: pink-sex, red-life, orange-healing, yellow-the sun, green-nature, turquoise-art and magic, blue-serenity, purple-the spirit.

    The best part of the collection for me was the Harvey Milk section. They had the suit he was wearing when he was killed. They had a recording of his voice, an extract saying that if you are hearing this, I am dead. He knew he was in danger from the conservative forces who hated what he stood for. There were some lovely pics of him and his boyfriend at home, some campaign flyers and a copy of the odious Proposition 6. The whole thing was very moving.

    Chris and wrote on postcards and put them on a wall for the next generation, along with others. I felt good doing that too.

    Next, was a walk around the Castro, in and out of various shops, some baklava for me in one of them, some Turkish deight for Chris, and a fabulous chat with one of the women working there. Into the bookshop, where Chris did buy a few pieces.

    And then finally on to Copper Bar where we had lunch and a beer and chatted to the handsome barman. Queer people around us just doing their thing; eating lunch, reading the paper, some girls talking about a new whisky to the barman, some guys who took their lunch out onto the pavement tables in the sunshine and ordered Old Fashions to wash it all down. Again, it was so nice to have gay people around us.

    We caught the bus home, had a small nap each and took a stroll through Lafeyette Park just before dusk. That was a lovely way to end the day. A microwave vegetarian lasagne for dinner and time writing this little post with some Johann Christian Bach playing softly in the background.

    Another good day in the City by the Bay.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    2
    111121

    Art Galleries and Towers

    22 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    This post will cover two days, yesterday 21 February and today, 22 February.

    Yesterday, Chris and I did a pilgrimage back to SF's justly famous Legion of Honor, its world-class art gallery, perched up on a hill with lovely views.

    We have been here before, back in 2018, and were greatly taken by its simplicity, its openness, its collection, and the special exhibition it was showing at the time, the Pre-Raphaelites.

    This time, we slowly made our way through all the galleries, about nineten of them, lingering here and there, enjoying the various periods and seeing the artwork of a particular time. The building itself is impressive. Its outer courtyard, which has Rodin's Le Penseur in pride of place, is surrounded by beautiful columns with a portico running around the perimeter. They are a light stone and are stunning to look at.

    Inside, I was taken with Arundel Mill by John Constable ca 1835 where you can see part of Arundel Castle in the background, a castle that Chris and I have visited back in 2022. The other artwork that impressed me was Monet's The Grand Canal Venice 1908. Hazy, faint, hot, beautiful. We'll get to visit it later this year. Banks of the Loing 1891 by Alfred Sisley also took my eye for its reflections of the trees in the water.

    A more expensive dinner last night than what we would ususally do, but we're on holiday and we felt like eating out. SPQR is a Michellin rated Italian restaurant. The food was mouth-wateringly delicious and the atmosphere sitting up at the bar in the dim lighting was a bit magical.

    Today, we visited Coit Tower. I have often lamented the fact that Newcastle doesn't have something to look at with a soupcon of awe and wonder. Alas. Coit Tower is a monument built specifically as a gift to the city by Lilly Hitchcock Coit after her death. Its in its nineties now and will be one hundred years old in 2033.

    There are beautiful murals painted on its walls on the ground, first and second floors showing life in California during the Depression. The tower itself is a thing of beauty. Despite its concrete manufacture, it is not brutalist in any way and its top has ornamentation and an open to the sky viewing platform that offers spectular 360 degree views of the city, bay and mountains. I'm so glad we took the time to visit.

    Macy's followed and we were frankly underwhelmed and bought nothing. Mason's Cafe offered us lunch in a diner atmosphere, and then, groceries and home to relax. It's been a good day, although Chris is still getting through his cold/virus affliction and has had to work harder than me to have these experiences. I am hopeful now that his symptoms have peaked and that he's on the mend. The weather has been glorious since we got here, apart from one rainy morning. San Fran is still feeling like it likes us.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    11121211

    A Slow Day to the Mission District

    23 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Job said, "that which I feared came upon me" and sure enough, right on time, I have come down with almost certainly the same virus that Chris has been battling for a week. It's early days, but I have seen his symptoms and know what's ahead of me.

    Despite this setback, we decided to do one thing and not push ourselves. We set out with a view to looking at the Spanish church, Mission Dolores Basilica in the Mission District. The adobe chapel next to it was built in 1776 and is reputed to be the oldest building in San Francisco. The basilica was built in 1918 and designated a basilica in 1952. It has a grand exterior, one which I admired the last time I was in San Fran, but I didn't never venture inside on that occasion. Today was the day.

    The lighting is the first thing that strikes you. The lights are turned down low and dim. There is darker general feel to the church which is punctuated by bright orange and yellow stained glass windows. And turquoise ceilings down the side aisles. There is a cupola in the centre, also turquoise, and the sanctuary was not all rococo as I expected from Spanish architecture, but simple and restrained. The whole thing gave a sense of quiet and reflection. I liked it, a lot. The stained glass gave a warm feel to the interior despite the low lighting.

    We had a coffee in the Morning Dew cafe which was just lovely. The young girl did some lovely coffee art on my latte, but as she was passing it to me, she dropped a spoon in it, so there was laughter all round.

    After, we headed up to the park and sat briefly on damp grass to look at the young people just hanging and listen to a group of musos do thier thing. We caught the underground to the Embarcaderro with a view to sitting down with a beer, but on Sunday afternoon, beer there was none, so we hightailed it to the grocery store near our digs and went home, happy tp stop.

    My symptoms had come on stronger by bedtime, so not a great night for us. Tomorrow, we will relax.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    111

    Last Day in San Francisco

    24 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Well, I never thought I would be saying this, but I can't wait to get the hell out of this town. It's not San Fran itself, it's more the co-incidents that have befallen us while here.

    We were somewhat stresed out before we came. But we thought the trip away would do us good. Trouble is the fourteen hour flight really took it out of us, and I am convinced that a man one row back from us and across the aisle, who sneezed big footballer sneezes several times without covering his mouth, without directing his projections into the crook of his elbow, was the culprit who gave us both the lurgy.

    First Chris. Five days to get through the worst of it. Poor man. Then me. I am on day 2 with my symptoms still getting worse before they get better. This is not a woe is me or a woe is us, it's just that it has sapped us of our energy and at times, our will to live.

    Added to that, I have to admit that the little shitbox of an apartment we stayed in was altogether unsuitable. There was no-where to sit. There was no table, one chair, the shower drained slowly, the toilet was next to the bedhead, so zero privacy. There was nothing homely about it, nothing comfortable, nothing at all that would sell it to a potential renter. I have learned my lesson.

    So, it was with an enervated heart that we set out on our last day. We dropped some washing off to Lily's. We love Lily. We then had a coffee at a doughnut shop. Good coffee for a change. The coffee here is generally shit. Clearly, I am past pulling my punches or feeling bad about indelicacy.

    We headed down into town, browsed a bookshop and ate a fancy fountain of fries and some meatballs at Old Joes. It was a lovely establishment. After that, given we were in the vicinity, we sauntered through the Palace of Fine Arts which was indeed relaxing.

    We went for a little passeggiata as the Italians would call it though LaFayette Park one more time, and on the night before we left, Chris discovered the decaf coffee I had been drinking all week was not in in fact instant, but filter coffee, which completely explained the large puddle of sludge at the bottom of my cup each evening. You live you learn. We've learned a thing or two about accommodation when travelling, lessons that will not be forgotten in a hurry.

    We head off to Seattle tomorrow with me getting sicker and both of us feeling challenged. San Fran is a beautiful city but sometimes you just gotta have all or some of the other bits go right too.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    1
    11111111211

    Sleepless in Seattle

    27 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    It's been a few days since I posted a FP. That's because I have been very unwell. The lurgy that Chris had, I caught, and it has knocked me for six. I don't know if it is COVID 19 or not, but it certainly is a breathing type virus. I have struggled, as did Chris, in this regard, each breath an effort. Fevers, a chest cough, post nasal drip, muscle aches, tiredness and sleeplessness due to constant overheating and sweats. Hence the title of my piece. And a new understanding that illness, if it is significant enough, can interrupt the flow of an exciting voyage substantially.

    We flew here on Monday just as my version of the virus was really taking hold. It's never fun to fly when sick. Thank goodness it was only a two hour flight.

    Our apartment here is beautiful. It could not be more different than our little dog box of a thing in San Fran and it was just what we needed; some space to move around, space to be in different rooms, more than one chair to sit in, a table to eat at. I could go on.

    We are situated not far from the water, Puget Sound, a working port, just like our own back home, and thus having all the attendant infrastructure that goes with a working port. The Sound is very pretty. It has islands and on its far coast, is a mountain range called the Cascades.

    The city has been doing up the port this side for better public access and have spent a mozza on walkways, viewing platforms and grand architectural staircases. It's not finished, but it's a work in progress and shows what can be done around such ports and harbours.

    We took a walk around the famous Pike Place Market which I expected to be outdoors but which was indoors in long rambling halls. Not many people there. Not many people in the streets either, we've both noticed. Neither of us bought anything.

    We watched an episode, a first for Chris, of Columbo on tv last night. It really was very good and it brought back memories of Peter Falk's famous role. We've been eating in thus far.

    Today, we walked down to the Space Needle, Seattle's most famous landmark, and had a lovely time up top. Coffee, some wandering, and I even braved standing on the see-through glass revolving floor without too much consternation, although I held on to Chris grimly.

    We bought a few odds and ends in the gift shop at the bottom and headed into the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. I honestly did not know what to expect but I found myself enchanted by the colour, the shapes, the twists, the sheer imagination of this artist. It was stunning and I am so glad we bought a ticket. I have never seen glass like this before!

    We'll stay in again tonight to conserve energy and to help with healing. Chris is still not 100% and I am far from it. Sadly, we have been forced to miss our two organised and pre-paid events here: last night's performance of The Magic Flute by the Seattle Opera Company, and tomorrow's day trip to the snow-covered slopes of Mt Rainier which you can see in the pics. I am disappointed but even-minded about this turn of events. We still love each other and Chris is looking after me thoughfully. Life is good.    Läs mer

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  • Stuart EdserResenärUSA First Trip of Retirement
    1
    22211

    Seattle Aquarium

    28 februari, Förenta staterna ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    It's been along time since I have been to an aquarium. There was one in San Fran which we hesitated over, but this one on the Sound at Seattle is refurbished and has been added onto with a shiny new building hosting extraordinary architecture that complements the curves and sinews of the ocean and all things marine. We had to go.

    Despite my health, we plunged into the marine world of the aquarium with vigour and interest. We spend a lot of time at the ocean so we have an affinity for this type of thing.

    Lovely exhibits, the pics of which did not really come out all that well, what with moving fields of vision, it ain't easy. Your seal is just there one second and the next he's gone. There's that cute otter looking right at you adorably, you prepare the shot, and he's gone.

    The staff were all busy looking after thier charges. I enjoyed the tactile experience upon entry where you wash your hands and you get to touch with one finger all the anemones and spiky sea urchins. The former were so soft, softer than velvet. And the latter's spines gather around your finger to encircle it.

    On one of the outdoor walkways between buildings I took some pics of a giant carrier ship emerging from the clouds that had descended in front of the Cascade mountains across the Sound. It looked like a ghost ship.

    After almost two hours, I was done. Today was my first day after a straight seven of mbeing medicated, without pseudoephedrine to keep me dry. So, I was couging a lot as my body turned back to do what it normally does when you are viral: have nasal congestion, a runny nose and you cough a lot. Still, I had to go through today to give everything a break from the drugs and can re-start the pseudoephedrine again tomorrow.

    We had another quick walk though PIke Markets on the way home and stopped at a cafe for a coffee. I say coffee, but honest to God, getting a decent coffee in this country is well nigh impossible. I sipped four times and threw it in the bin.

    We relaxed this afternooon, took a nap and went out for dinner tonight to The Black Bottle where we feasted on some share plates and some beer, looked after by a cute and very frriendly waiter from Venezuela.

    I didn't want to talk about the orange one in these posts, but today, Trump and that creep Vance ganged up on President Zelensky in the Oval Office in front of the cameras, mocked him and shouted him down before ensuring he left the White House. Americans are in shock and declaring embarrassment. Trump only ever wants a winning hand and he doesn't like to play unless he's got one. But I feel sure, if he hasn't already, he will overplay his hand one day and be done over. Can't come soon enough. Today was another disgrace from this soulless narcissist.

    But I did like the otters and the puffins.    Läs mer

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